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Michigan Camp-Meeting

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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Oct 4, 1877

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 3, No. 38.

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Michigan Camp-Meeting.

PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST WEEK.

The annual gathering of the Seventh-day Adventists of Michigan is now in progress in a grove two miles north-east of the city of Lansing. The meeting commenced on Tuesday, September 18, and will continue till Monday, October 1. There are now one hundred and thirty-eight tents on the ground, the average size of which is 16x20 feet. They are arranged in a hollow square, with extensions on the south and east, having regular streets and squares. The mammoth pavilion, 80x120 feet, occupies the center of the grand square. It is new, clean, well seated, and capable of holding five thousand people. There are twelve hundred persons encamped here, making the largest gathering of Seventh-day people ever known. The ministers of the denomination are present to the number of thirty-two.
Friday, an excursion train from Battle Creek brought one hundred and sixty students in charge of the College Faculty. They will remain until Tuesday. The services on the Sabbath were devoted specially to the church. The social meeting at 9 A. M. was attended by fifteen hundred members of the church. To give opportunity for a greater number to take part in the exercises, this company was divided into three bands, each having separate leaders who carried on the meetings simultaneously. Three hundred and sixty persons spoke during the hour these meetings were in session.
The main feature of the day was the discourse of Mrs. White at 2:30 P. M. Her remarks were based upon 2 Peter 1:5-8, and were specially addressed to parents, and the heads of families. Some excellent rules for domestic government were laid down; and the follies and sins of every day life were fearlessly reproved.
Elder Haskell preached at 7:30 P. M. on the subject of repentance. The congregations through the day averaged two thousand people. The congregational singing is truly inspiring. It is led by a good organ and trained choir.
Sunday was the grand day of the meeting, so far. The ground was literally flooded with people. The city turned out en masse, and the country was largely represented, while excursion trains from Jackson, Battle Creek and Port Huron brought in two thousand five hundred persons to spend the day. It was estimated that ten thousand people were on the ground during Mrs. White's lecture in the afternoon. The weather was lovely, and everything passed off smoothly.
A students' meeting was held at 8 A. M. At 10:30 A. M. Elder U. Smith preached, using as a text, 2 Peter 3:3, 4. He dwelt specially on the two principal tenets of the S. D. A. church; viz., the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath; and the soon coming of Christ. With the aid of an illustrated chart he traced down the several lines of prophecy to prove that the latter event was near at hand, though no definite time could be set for its occurrence. The congregation again assembled at 1:30 P. M., and were addressed by Elder S. N. Haskell. His remarks were based upon Dan. 8:14, and related to the peculiar views of the church on the Sabbath and sanctuary questions.
Mrs. White spoke on the subject of Christian temperance at 2:30. An immense crowd was in attendance, a third more than could be seated. Elder White, though just recovering from a severe illness, opened the meeting by prayer. Mrs. White gave a very practical and sensible discourse. She traced the great cause of intemperance back to the home, and the family board, to the indulgence of passion and perverted appetite in the child. She declared that when parents began the temperance crusade in their own families, and among their children, they would be more successful than in trying to conquer the fierce, full grown lion of intemperance. She denounced the popular vices and follies of the day unsparingly, and dealt a telling blow at the absurd fashions of the period, and the sin of mothers in neglecting their children to follow these changing styles.
In the evening Elder H. W. Decker preached on the inheritance of the saints. Matt. 5:5. The intervals between services were entertainingly filled by music from the choir.
Notwithstanding the immense crowd in attendance, good order prevailed throughout the day, and after the evening meeting the people quietly dispersed for their homes.
Monday morning the bell rang at 6:30 for a social meeting in the pavilion. It was a season of deep solemnity. Fervent prayers and testimonies were offered, and the deepest feeling prevailed. A special meeting was held for the students at 8 A. M. One hundred came forward for prayers the previous day, and eighty-one of these penitents now testified to their determination to live Christian lives in the future. Elder White made some very impressive remarks on the importance of the youth commencing life by becoming Christians. The meeting was continued with much interest for two hours.
The S. D. Adventist Educational Society was called together at 10:30 A. M. by order of the president, Elder James White. Prayer was offered by Elder D. M. Canright, who had just arrived from New York. An able address was then delivered by Prof. S. Brownsberger, acting president of the Battle Creek College. Subject: “What we owe to our children.” He advocated thorough educational culture for the youth, as the best fortune with which their parents can endow them.
After the address, the meeting was organized. There were 92 stockholders present, representing 895 shares. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. It was voted that the address of Prof. Brownsberger be published in the Advent Review of Battle Creek. A committee was then appointed to nominate trustees for the ensuing year, and the meeting adjourned until 2 P. M.
At the appointed time the meeting again came to order, Elder White in the chair. The auditor's report was read showing the following results: Receipts for the year $11,289.63. Expenses, $7,752.60. Present valuation of property held by the Association, free from all encumbrance, $47,171.33.
The report of committee on nomination of trustees was submitted, which was as follows: Elder James White, Elder U. Smith, Prof. S. Brownsberger, Dr. J. H. Kellogg, W. C. White, Wm. Sisley, and Prof. A. B. Oyen. The nominees were unanimously elected by 740 votes. The meeting then adjourned to call of chair.
A session of the General Conference was held on Monday, September 24, 2:30 P. M. Seventeen delegates were present, representing the Conferences of Michigan, New York, New England, Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, and the mission of Canada.
Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows: President, Elder James White; secretary, Elder U. Smith; treasurer, Mrs. M. J. Chapman; executive committee, Elders White, Haskell and Canright.
The delegates presented reports from their various fields of labor, which were very interesting, giving the progress of the cause in different parts of our country. The secretary read reports from Elder I. D. Van Horn, North Pacific Mission, Elder S. Osborn, Kentucky and Tennessee; J. M. Elliott, Alabama, R. M. Kilgore, Texas; Geo. L. Butler, Missouri; T. H. Brant, Maine; J. Ertzenberger, Germany; and D. T. Bourdeau, France.
Elder Canright arrived on the ground Monday morning, and preached Monday night to a goodly congregation from Titus 1:13.
Tuesday morning, the Battle Creek students to the number of one hundred, were gathered in different tents, and special meetings were held through the greater part of the forenoon. Nearly all are seeking the Lord, and arrangements have been made for them to remain during the entire camp-meeting.
A meeting of the Publishing Association was held on Tuesday, in which 87 stockholders were present, representing 190 votes. The auditor's report showed the total receipts of the Society during the past year to be $185,102.67. Total expenditure $181,466.46. Cash on hand to balance, $3,636.61. Assets of Association above liabilities, $98,973.53, which shows an increase of $2,253.94, above last year. The trustees elected for the ensuing year are as follows: Elder James White, president; W. C. White, vice-president; Mrs. M. J. Chapman, secretary; Wm. Ings, treasurer; Mrs. F. H. Sisley, auditor; Elder James White, Dr. J. H. Kellogg, Elder U. Smith, publishing committee. Elder U. Smith was elected editor of the Review and Herald, with Elders James White and J. N. Andrews corresponding editors. Mrs. M. J. Chapman was elected editor of the Youth's Instructor.
The religious meetings have all been excellent, and the weather has been most favorable so far. Elder White, being in feeble health on account of his excessive labor during the past summer, has not been able to preach during the camp-meeting, but has spoken briefly with great effect several times, and opened the meetings with prayer. We trust he is slowly, but surely, improving in health. REPORTER.